All Chapters of Dawlya’s Dragon: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

21 Avi was in a good mood all day. She didn’t explain why to her friends from training, but they noticed the quiet, withdrawn woman they’d known was smiling again. They were just happy to see her step out of the shell she’d built around herself. After work, she lingered outside the hangar. Cain had promised he’d be back. Ten minutes passed before Azar approached. “The dining hall’s closing soon,” he said. “Are you waiting for someone?” “Thank you, sir. I’m fine,” Avi replied, giving him a polite half-smile. Azar hesitated, watching her. “Avi, I don’t think he’s coming.” She blinked, unsure what he meant. “Cain can be charming,” Azar continued carefully, “but once he gets what he wants, he moves on. You wouldn’t be the first to get caught in his gravity.” Avi frowned. “It’s not like that,” she said quietly, then added, “I need to get to the dining hall.” She walked away before he could respond. Azar sighed and turned back toward the bay. The dorm room was empty when she returned

23 Azar was surprised to see Cain walk into the bay with Avin even more surprised to see the bandages wrapped around his arm and shoulder. Mikan’s sentinel, injured? If Cain had been hurt, was the King himself all right? Questions churned, but before Azar could ask, Avi entered the bay and Cain slipped away, leaving her to her work. Avi focused on her tasks, making a list of places her mother might have gone. She even marked the most likely ones for Garrik to check first. But her thoughts kept drifting to Cain, to what might happen when her shift ended. Would he really take her away for three days? How long would the doctor keep him from duty? Could he even be a sentinel again? And if he could… What then? What kind of life could she possibly have with him? Her father’s family hadn’t lasted a month before leaving. Why would this be different? How could Cain truly care for her when Mikan’s safety was his only purpose? By the time her head started to ache from the overthinking, Avi

25 It was late in the evening when Cain opened his eyes. He shot upright with a start, confusion clouding his face until Mikan’s calm presence beside the bed steadied him. He blinked, looking around. He was in the medical center. His shoulder was tightly bandaged again, the faint chill of a fresh cooling wrap spreading through his skin. “What happened?” he asked, voice rough. Mikan studied him. “What’s the last thing you remember?” Cain frowned, thinking. “Leaving the tavern. Heading to the doctor’s office.” “Well,” Mikan said quietly, “you didn’t make it. You were poisoned with ginger berry.” Cain’s eyes widened. “What? How the hell did that happen?” “It was in the juice you were drinking,” Mikan explained. “Someone injected the bottles.” Cain’s mind froze, then realization hit hard. “Avi,” he whispered. He swung his legs off the bed, trying to stand. “Avi had a bottle! We have to find her!” “Settle down,” Mikan said firmly, pressing him back. “We found her. She’s fine.” He

27 Two hours later, Mikan arrived at the medical center with Tia. A med tech followed them into the room, carrying two sets of thermal bands. She opened her mouth to scold Cain for sleeping outside of his bed, but Mikan took the bands from her first. “I’ll make sure they’re both fitted within the hour,” he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. He tossed Cain his set while Tia helped Avi with hers. Once both were wearing the bands, the tech returned to finalize their discharge paperwork. When everything was signed, the group walked out into the open air. Outside, Mikan shifted smoothly into his dragon form. Cain secured Avi onto his back before climbing up behind her. Tia and four members of Squadron Five transformed as well, wings spreading wide in the sunlight. With a powerful thrust of air, the group lifted off heading toward the mountain villa. It was time for Avi to see her father. On the porch of the villa, Brie and Trace stood waiting. Trace had been restless all d

29 Cain closed his eyes and focused, reaching out through his telepathic bond. “My Lady Brieanika, can you hear me?” Her response came almost instantly. “How may I help you, Cain?” “Avi’s body temperature is dropping fast. I need as much heat in her room as possible. Could you send Trace?” “He’s on his way.” Moments later, there was a knock at the door. “Come in,” Cain called. Trace entered, already conjuring a large ball of flame that hovered in the air above the bed, bathing the room in golden heat. “What happened?” he demanded. “I’m not sure,” Cain said. “The doctor said the ginger berry affected our body temperatures, so we were both given thermal bands. But they’re not working.” He pulled back the covers to show Avi’s limp form. Trace held a hand over both sets of bands first Cain’s, then Avi’s. “Yours are generating heat,” he said grimly. “Hers aren’t.” Cain checked them himself. “Nothing. They’ve failed completely.” He covered her again and stood. “Tia carries extra b